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§ The Glass factory. §
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#§§*--¨¨¨¨ Several Centuries After It Had Last ¨¨¨¨--*§§#
£#§§*--¨¨¨ Belonged To Us, We Went On An Outing To ¨¨¨--*§§#£
#£#§§*--¨¨ The Glass Factory That Bore Our Family ¨¨--*§§#£#
##£#§§*--¨ Name. It Had Changed Owners Many Times ¨--*§§#£##
#£#§§*--¨¨ Since Our Ancestors Death, And Then ¨¨--*§§#£#
£#§§*--¨¨¨ Stood Abandoned For A Long While. ¨¨¨--*§§#£
#§§*--¨¨¨¨ Finally, The Natural End Station For ¨¨¨¨--*§§#
§§*--¨¨¨¨¨ The Buildings That Survive: A Museum, ¨¨¨¨¨--*§§
§*--¨¨¨¨¨¨ And A Gift Shop. ¨¨¨¨¨¨--*§
*--¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨--*
--¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ There'S A Long Time Since My Family ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨--
-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ Made Anything. By Many, We Would Be ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ Considered Poor. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ There Are Two Main Factory Buildings, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ Domed Things Of Several Floors, Made In ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ Yellow Brick. Large But Narrow Windows, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ Reminescent Of Some Cathedral. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ Custom-Made Glass, Of Course, Large And ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ LeadEd, And Ashen. A Bit Too Dark To Be ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ Practical. On The Eastern Building, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ Some Are Shattered. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-
--¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨--
*--¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ The Other One Is Publicly Open. There'S ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨--*
§*--¨¨¨¨¨¨ A Museum, With Wax Figures Of My Great ¨¨¨¨¨¨--*§
§§*--¨¨¨¨¨ Great Great Grandfather, Or Something. ¨¨¨¨¨--*§§
#§§*--¨¨¨¨ Various Tools (Or Replicas) Laid Out On ¨¨¨¨--*§§#
£#§§*--¨¨¨ Tables, With Explaining Texts. A Lot Of ¨¨¨--*§§#£
#£#§§*--¨¨ Glass Of Varying Thickness. ¨¨--*§§#£#
##£#§§*--¨ ¨--*§§#£##
#£#§§*--¨¨ §§ ¨¨--*§§#£#
£#§§*--¨¨¨ §§ §§ ¨¨¨--*§§#£
#§§*--¨¨¨¨ ------- § § ------- ¨¨¨¨--*§§#
§§*--¨¨¨¨¨ §§ §§ ¨¨¨¨¨--*§§
§*--¨¨¨¨¨¨ §§ ¨¨¨¨¨¨--*§
*--¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨--*
--¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ I Quickly Sneak Out, And Climb Into The ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨--
-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ Other Building. The Contrast Is ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ Overwhelming. It Must Have Stood ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ Derelict For A Long Time, Windows ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ Broken, Metallic Trash And Pools Of ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ Dark Glass All Over The Floor. No ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ Electric Lights, But I Can See By The ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ Light That Shines In Wherever The Dark ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ Windows Are Missing A Pane. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ However, The Greatest Difference Is The ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ Higher Floors: This Building Has None. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-
--¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ It Is One Massive Hall, Stretching Away ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨--
*--¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ Infinitely Above Me. Somewhere Up There ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨--*
§*--¨¨¨¨¨¨ Is Some Great Iron Latticework, From ¨¨¨¨¨¨--*§
§§*--¨¨¨¨¨ Where Chains Are Suspended, And Parts ¨¨¨¨¨--*§§
#§§*--¨¨¨¨ Of Machinery Has Been Falling Down. ¨¨¨¨--*§§#
£#§§*--¨¨¨ ¨¨¨--*§§#£
#£#§§*--¨¨ There Is, In The Middle Of The Great ¨¨--*§§#£#
##£#§§*--¨ Hall, A Thin Spiral Staircase That ¨--*§§#£##
#£#§§*--¨¨ Leads Up There. I Sneak Over There, And ¨¨--*§§#£#
£#§§*--¨¨¨ Take A Few Reluctant Steps. After Just ¨¨¨--*§§#£
#§§*--¨¨¨¨ A Revolution, I Notice That For Each ¨¨¨¨--*§§#
§§*--¨¨¨¨¨ Step The Building Starts To Glow, The ¨¨¨¨¨--*§§
§*--¨¨¨¨¨¨ Bricks Turning A Dark Red, And Then ¨¨¨¨¨¨--*§
*--¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ Orange, All The Piled Up Debree Being ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨--*
--¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ Lit From Behind. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨--
-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ I Stop Ready To Run Down And Out, But ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ There'S Someone Else On The Staircase ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ With Me Now, Pressed Close. He'S ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ Looking Like Me, Short Hair And Thin ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ Arms, But With Ears From Some Animal, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ And More Disturbingly, Completely Made ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ Of Dark Liquid glass. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ §§ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ §§ §§ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-
--¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ------- § § ------- ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨--
*--¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ §§ §§ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨--*
§*--¨¨¨¨¨¨ §§ ¨¨¨¨¨¨--*§
§§*--¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨--*§§
#§§*--¨¨¨¨ My Fear Holds Me In Place While He ¨¨¨¨--*§§#
£#§§*--¨¨¨ Starts Operating Levers And Dials Set ¨¨¨--*§§#£
#£#§§*--¨¨ In The Center Of The Staircase. Slowly, ¨¨--*§§#£#
##£#§§*--¨ It Starts Spinning, Circling Upwards. ¨--*§§#£##
#£#§§*--¨¨ It'S An Elevator! I Start To Run ¨¨--*§§#£#
£#§§*--¨¨¨ Downwards, But Now The Liquid Boy ¨¨¨--*§§#£
#§§*--¨¨¨¨ Creature Grabs Hold Of Me. I Try To ¨¨¨¨--*§§#
§§*--¨¨¨¨¨ Shake Him Off, But He'S Too Strong, And ¨¨¨¨¨--*§§
§*--¨¨¨¨¨¨ Pulls Me Back Up Beside Him. ¨¨¨¨¨¨--*§
*--¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨--*
--¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ This Time, I Turn Angry Instead. What ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨--
-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ The Hell? Who Is This Guy, Acting Like ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ This? I Reach Out My Free Arm And Slam ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ A Random Lever. Some Metal Bar Is ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ Suddenly Released Between Us, Hitting ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ Him On The Arm, Forcing My Release. I ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ Shove Him Off Of Me, And He Falls Into ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ The Levers, Messing Them Up. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ Immediately, A Thin Rusty Chainmail ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ Curtain Is Dropped Around Me. But The ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ Elevator Also Speeds Up Significantly. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-
--¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ The Walls Are Flaring Now, Yellow, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨--
*--¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ White, Almost Blue. I Close My Eyes And ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨--*
§*--¨¨¨¨¨¨ Curl Into A Ball. But Then, The Glass ¨¨¨¨¨¨--*§
§§*--¨¨¨¨¨ Boy Screams, A Piercing Sound That ¨¨¨¨¨--*§§
#§§*--¨¨¨¨ Forces My Eyes Back Open. I Watch As He ¨¨¨¨--*§§#
£#§§*--¨¨¨ Becomes Too Liquid, His Body Pooling ¨¨¨--*§§#£
#£#§§*--¨¨ Down In His Now Massive Tail, And The ¨¨--*§§#£#
##£#§§*--¨ Tip Of It Suddenly Breaks Of In A Glass ¨--*§§#£##
#£#§§*--¨¨ Drop That Falls Toward The Factory ¨¨--*§§#£#
£#§§*--¨¨¨ Floor. ¨¨¨--*§§#£
#§§*--¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨--*§§#
§§*--¨¨¨¨¨ He'S Crawling On The Stairs, Unable To ¨¨¨¨¨--*§§
§*--¨¨¨¨¨¨ Keep His Body Upright. Can'T Reach The ¨¨¨¨¨¨--*§
*--¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ Levers, Claws At My Chainmail Cage, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨--*
--¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ While His Body Is Turning Into Dark ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨--
-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ Pearls. Finally, He'S Lost Too Much Of ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ Himself And The Scream Is Cut Short. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ The Last Of Him Rains Down. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ I Still Can'T Reach The Levers From ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ Within My Cage. Looking Up, I Try To ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ Make Out The Ceiling, But It'S All A ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ Whirling Sea Of Colours. Below Me Glows ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ The Hellfire Of The Factory Walls, But ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ Very Faint. I Sit Down, Curl Back Up, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ Become Still. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-
--¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨--
*--¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ §§ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨--*
§*--¨¨¨¨¨¨ §§ §§ ¨¨¨¨¨¨--*§
§§*--¨¨¨¨¨ ------- § § ------- ¨¨¨¨¨--*§§
#§§*--¨¨¨¨ §§ §§ ¨¨¨¨--*§§#
£#§§*--¨¨¨ §§ ¨¨¨--*§§#£
#£#§§*--¨¨ ¨¨--*§§#£#
##£#§§*--¨ A Large Clunk Shakes My Entire Body, ¨--*§§#£##
#£#§§*--¨¨ And Snaps Me Back Into Reality. I'M ¨¨--*§§#£#
£#§§*--¨¨¨ Back At The Factory Floor, But The ¨¨¨--*§§#£
#§§*--¨¨¨¨ Stairs Are Still Moving Slightly, ¨¨¨¨--*§§#
§§*--¨¨¨¨¨ Clicking In Place, Carrying Me The Last ¨¨¨¨¨--*§§
§*--¨¨¨¨¨¨ Few Centimeters. I Came From Below, ¨¨¨¨¨¨--*§
*--¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ Somehow. The Chainmail Is Retracted, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨--*
--¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ And I Slowly Dismount The Stairs. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨--
-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ Shaking And Crying, I Make My Way Over ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ The Factory Floor, Wading Through Dark ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ Glass Marbles. A Quick Glance Down, And ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ I See There'S Something Faint Inside ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ Them. Embryos? Are These Eggs? ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ I Shudder, And Climb Back Out. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
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